Why might battleships initially cost more than carriers?

What class size makes sense for the proposed battleships, and how does nuclear propulsion affect the answer?

The reply envisages more battleships than carriers and expects high initial costs because the new class would need its own production arrangements.

The argument for nuclear propulsion rests on sustained power demand and endurance. The proposed force is envisaged as having more battleships than carriers. Early unit comparisons would include the cost of new facilities, tooling, designs, and production routines. Ford-class carriers already have an operating line, so a lower initial carrier price would not by itself establish the relative cost of the two mature programs.